Cycle saddle



April 10, 1951 H. E. KALTER CYCLE SADDLE Filed Jan. 26, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR. /7 /4/?0L 0 E. M1 M7? v BY H. E. KALTER CYCLE SADDLE April 10, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 26, 1946 INVENTOR. /fi/fow 5. ML 51? Patented Apr. 10, 1951 CYCLE SADDLE Harold E. Kalter, Elyria, Ohio, assignor to The Troxel Manufacturing Company, Elyria, Ohio,

a corporation of Ohio Application January 26, 1946, Serial No. 643,583

4 Claims. 1

My invention relates to cycle saddles and relates more particularly to improved adjustable mounting means for securing a cycle saddle bya post standard to a cycle.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved unitary cycle saddle post comprising a lowermost stem or post portion and a non-collapsible substantially rigid box-like head portion, said head portion affording seating for a cycle saddle upon a cycle in any of a plurality of relatively inclined positions and to thereby provide important features of improvement over the cycle saddle post of my prior Patent No. 2,316,436, issued April 13, 1943.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved adjustable post and clamp mechanism for a cycle saddle.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved structure of the type described which can be conveniently and inexpensively made, and which will be highly effective in performing the adjustment and clamping functions required of it.

Another object of my invention is to materially reduce the number of parts required in assembly of a cycle saddle of the type described, without impairment of the functional operation thereof.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved saddle support structure of the type described which can be adapted for use with variously formed vehicles having widely varying degrees of inclination as between the saddle post socket and the saddle.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved cycle saddle post, comprising a unitary clamping head and stem, whereof the head is substantially non-collapsible in use, and has indentured clamping locking side surfaces of substantially great area.

Another object of my invention is to achieve the aforesaid objects and each of them in a post and clamping assembly whereof the post head is formed from a simple inexpensive cruciform blank and with the arms bent upwardly to provide a box-like head which, though formed of inexpensive sheet metal material, is substantially rigid and non-deformable when exposed to the lateral clamping adjustment stress resulting from clamping the reach means of a cycle saddle thereto. g

Other objects of my invention and the invention itself will be more readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which my invention pertains by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whereof Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the saddle post structure and associated clamping means of my invention applied to a saddle, the dotted lines illustrating the post and saddle in different relatively tilted positions;

Fig. 2 is a profile perspective view of the head portion of the post of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan View of the indentured blank from which the post head of Figs. 1 and 2 is constructed;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational enlarged view of the post and clamping assembly of Fig. 1, with fragments only of the saddle reach straps being shown;

Fig. 5 is a medial sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a side plan view of one of the clamping plate members of Figs. 4 and 5;

Fig. 7 is an end profile view of the clamping member of Figs. 4 and 5; and

. Fig. 8 is a side profile view of the clamping member of Fig. 6.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive, which relate to the illustrated embodiment of my invention and in which like parts are designated by like reference characters, at l I show a cycle saddle seat of the conventional form comprising a stiffened sheet metal frame 2 faced with leather, to which frame a pair of relatively downwardly disposed reach straps 3 are adapted to be resiliently interconnected in any suitable manner as by the cantle spring 4 and the cushioning springs 5. The medial portions of the two reach straps 3 and 3 are each of flat form, as shown in Fig. 1, and laterally interspaced, as best illustrated in Fig. 5, aligned apertures being medially provided as at y in said strap members.

A pair of channel-shaped sheet metal clamping plates 7 and 1', one for each strap, are provided, each adapted to embrace the said medial portion of a different one of said reach straps with the web of said channels being centrally apertured as at z and the inwardly facing side of each strap being adapted for engagement with the inwardly disposed web face, and the outer surfaces of the two channel webs being disposed in relatively confronting interspaced relationship. The channel arms 8, 8, of each clamp plate are adapted to embrace the upper and lower edges 1' of the strap member with which it is associated.

The said relatively confronting faces of both said centrally apertured clamping plates are suitably indentured on their outer web faces, preferably as illustrated in Fig. 6, to afford alternate radially extending ridges and depressions to afford a gripping clamping surface as hereinafter more fully set forth.

My improved cycle saddle post is provided with the usual downwardly extending stem portion 8' of preferably circular tubular form and an enlarged box-shaped head, generally indicated at 10, rigidly secured to the bottom of the box, said head comprising a lowermost wall ill", a pair of opposed side walls H--i l, and front and rear opposing walls l2 and 12', the upper edge portions of the two sidewalls l l-l I being preferably arcuately formed concentrically with the axis of the apertures l3 and i3. The end walls I2 and I2 are preferably rectangular and interposed between the front and rear border portions of the two side walls.

The described post head 9 is conveniently inexpensively formed from a sheet metal blank shown in Fig. 3, said blank being of cruci-form shape, the four arms thereof providing the front, rear and side walls 52-42, H and H, respectively of the box, when said arms are bent downwardly from the plane of the rectangular midportion of the blank which provides the lowermost bottom wall Hi of said head.

Preferably, the blank while in its preliminary flat form is subjectedto a press operation to provide the square apertures l3 and i3 cen trally of the arms H and H, and a round aperture 26, at the center of the blank; at the same time, or otherwise, the blank is subjected to an indenturing operation to provide the serrations l5 which extend radially from the centers of the respective apertures 13 and I3.

The blank shown in Fig. 3 is preferably so formed that the edges of said front and rear walls are fitted closely between the vertically extending border portions ofthe inner surfaces of the side walls whereby, when the side walls H and H are subjected to clamp compressive stresses, the end walls 12 and 12, being interposed between the side walls at the lateral border thereof, will rigidly prevent inward collapsing of the lateral walls.

The upper end of the post stem 8 is rigidly affixed to the center of the lowermost wall If) of the box-like post head in any suitable manner, but is preferably welded thereto, as indicated at w.

The cycle saddle mounting parts are assembled by first fitting the respective clamping plates '1' posed at the inner side of the associated reach strap and the straight end portions of the upper and lower channel flanges 8, 8 thereof being disposed in relatively embracing engagement with the upper and lower edges ;r.r of said strap.

The box-shaped head on the post 8 is then projected betweenthe opposed indentured faces of the plates 7 and I with the indentured serrations of the box side walls-l3 and I3 in meshed engagement with the indentured depressions of the said plate surfaces. Washers 2'0 and 2! are then applied to the outer surfaces of the strap portions 3 and, with the apertures of said washers, said strap portions, said channelshaped clamping plates and the lateral walls of the box-like post head allfbrought into alignment, the bolt l 1- is projectedthrough the aligned apertures andthe'nut I8 is turned up to tightly clamp all said parts, disposed between the bolt head and said nut, together.

Subsequently, this adjustment can be altered to vary the inclination of the saddle.

This may be accomplished at any time by loosening the nut 18 and pressing the saddle seat I to its desired inclined position, and retightening the nut.

The disclosed box-like post head is adapted to withstand a high degree of compressive stress imposed upon it, by tightening the nut [8 upon the bolt H, because of the bracing effect of the front and rear box walls 12 and 12 which are interposed between opposed border portions of the side walls [3' and I3 to which such compressive stress is communicated.

I am aware that numerous and extensive departures may be made from the embodiment of my invention herein illustrated and described without, however, departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A cycle saddle clamp comprising, the combination with a pair of laterally spaced straptype reach members carrying means providing a pair of relatively opposed indentured clamping surfaces, a post, a box like head therefor formed from a cruciform blank having a reci ar entra o t on an u a ms xt n in different directions therefrom, like surfaces of a, pair of oppositely extending arms of said blank being indentured to provide alternate ridges and grooves, said arms adapted to be bent at their junctions with said central portion to provide front, rear and indentured side walls of a box structure having an open top and a bottom wall afforded by said central blank portion, and with said front and rear walls disposed in bracing relation between the border portions of said side walls, and with the indentured sides of said side walls disposed outermost, said post being rigidly affixed to the bottom wall of the box structure and extending therefrom in a direction opposite to-the direction of extent of said box walls, and normal to the plane of said bottom Wall, and bolt meansfor compressively securing said reach members in embracing relation to said means with each said indentured clamping clamping surface in inter-meshed engagement with the indentured surface of a different of said box side walls.

2. In combination a post forsupporting a cycle saddle seat comprising a post stem anda box-like post head rigidly carried at an end thereof, said head being provided at, twosides with indentured side surfaces, and interposed between a pair of opposing indentured surfaces of a pair of clamp plates carried in relatively interspaced relation by said seat, said head formed by bending the four arms of a cruciform blank in the same normal direction with respect to the plane of the central portion of the blank, said head and said clamp plateseach provided with alignable apertures, bolt means comprising a bolt shank projected laterally through all saidapertures and a nut cooperating with said shank to clamp the plates and head in any of a plurality of relatively tilted-positions, and the end walls of said head being disposed therebetween to brace the side walls against inward movement responsive to the clamping effect of turning said nut onto the threaded end of' said bolt.

3:1Vfounting means for a cycle saddle of the and said side walls being provided with laterally aligned bolt receiving apertures alignable with said plate apertures, and a bolt insertable through said plate and post head side wall apertures to compressively clamp said plates and post head together to maintain them in any variant desired relatively tilted position.

4. The cycle seat mounting means substantially as set forth in claim 3, characterized by the interengaging surfaces of said plates and post head side walls being cooperatively indentured to afiord two interengaging sets of alternate ridges and depressions, the ridges of one set adapted to mesh within the depressions of the other set. J

HAROLD E. KALTER.

REFERENCES CITED vThe following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,374,809 Faulhaber May 1, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 232,815 Great Britain of 1925 

